Rather then writing an essay to follow are 25 facts that you may or may not known about the Pistols. (they appear in no chronological or thematic order...enjoy)
1. Sid Vicious was named after his pet hamster. A finger-biting creature named Sid the Vicious.
2. During the Pistols' heyday the band was slated to star in Who Killed Bambi?, a film directed by Russ Meyer and written by Roger Ebert, but the project eventually fell apart.
3. The Sex Pistols evolved from The Strand, a band formed in 1972 with Jones on vocals, Cook on drums and Wally Nightingale on guitar.
4. In December 1976, EMI arranged a series of concerts for January 1977 at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. But before boarding the plane at London Heathrow Airport, the band reportedly spat on each other and verbally abused airport staff. Witness's describe their behaviour as being to 'disgusting' to repeat. It's generally believed Jones had been vomiting on old ladies in the preflight lounge. EMI released them from their contract two days later. On hearing the news Rotten remarked, "I don't understand it, all we're trying to do is destroy everything."
5. In December '76 when the Pistol's made their ill fated appearance on Bill Grundy's Today program they were actually last minute replacements for Queen.
6. On 10 March 1977, at a press ceremony held outside Buckingham Palace, the Sex Pistols signed to A&M Records. They later went back to the A&M offices for what would become an unruly party. Sid Vicious trashed the managing director's office and vomited on his desk. Under pressure from its own employees, artists and distributors, A&M broke contract with the Pistols six days later.
7. Glen Matlock was kicked out of the band in Feb.1977 (reasons vary from 'his liking the Beatles' to 'he washed his feet to often'). 'Never Mind the Bollocks' however wasn't recorded until March that year. Matlock was redrafted as a session musician to compensate for Vicious' lack of musical ability. According to Jones: "Sid wanted to come down and play on the album, and we tried as hard as possible not to let him anywhere near the studio. Luckily he had hepatitis at the time".
8. As a teenager, Steve Jones was a kleptomaniac who accumulated 14 different criminal convictions and was the subject of a council care-order. He spent a year in a remand centre, which he says was more enjoyable than being at home, and has said that the Sex Pistols saved him from a life of crime.
9. Following his departure from the Pistols Rotten was stranded in the US. He eventually telephoned head of Virgin Records Richard Branson, who agreed to pay for his flight back to London, via Jamaica. In Jamaica, Branson met with members of the band, Devo, and tried to install Rotten as their lead singer. Devo declined the offer, their recollections of this meeting are hilarious. Neither Devo nor Rotten knew what Branson had planned.
10. After the Sex Pistols broke up in 1978, Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook co-founded the hard rock outfit The Professionals. They released one album, but disbanded after a serious car crash while on tour in the US in 1981. Ironically, the title of The Professionals' debut album was 'I Didn't See It Coming'.
11. Sid Vicious was the original drummer of 'Siouxsie and the Banshees'
12. On October 12, 1978, Sid Vicious allegedly stabbed Nancy Spungen to death in room 100 of NYC's famous Chelsea Hotel. The room has since been dismantled as hotel management needed to put an end to a seemingly endless pilgrimage of young Punks.
13. Sid's mother Anne Beverly who had a history of heroin abuse herself, scored the heroin that Sid fatally OD'ed on in February, 1978.
14. The Malcolm McLaren / Vivienne Westwood shop SEX situated in King's Rd, Chelsea was originally a Teddy Boy shop called 'Let it Rock'. McLaren changed it after visiting New York in 1974/75. The new incarnation sold bondage and fetish clothing as well clothes catering for the new punk fashion. This is interesting as the new generation of Teds became the arch-enemies of the Westwood and McLaren-inspired punk rockers.
15. While in New York Mclaren briefly managed the New York Dolls. He also tried unsuccessfully to manage The Neon Boys an early incarnation of Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell. (soon to become Television). They turned him down.
16. After the Pistols breakup McLaren managed Adam & the Ants, sacking Adam after a few weeks, recruiting a new singer and turning them from bleak post-punk into the colourful and percussive Bow Wow Wow. Bow Wow Wow were fronted by the 14 year old Annabella Lwin.
17. Steve Jones played on Lisa Marie Presley's 2005 album, Now What.
18. Paul Cook produced Bananarama's 1982 debut album 'Deep Sea Skiving'
19. Steve Jones is now a teetotaller who campaigns against swearing on television.
20. Johnny Rotten is now a 51-year-old US property investor with a portfolio worth more than eight figures.
21. Joseph Corre, son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, is the founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.Agent Provocateur is a well known lingerie brand based in the United Kingdom. It has three stores in London, a concession in Selfridges London, a store in Leeds and three stores in the United States. The first shop was opened in 1994. Celebrities like Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, Kate Moss and Carmen Electra, are among their VIP clients
22. On December 21, 1988 Johnny Lydon and his wife were due to be on the doomed Pan Am Flight 103. Pan Am Flight 103 was the Pan American World Airways transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow to New York's JFK International Airport. On December 21, 1988 the flight exploded and the remains landed in and around the town of Galloway, Scotland. Forensic experts determined that about a pound of plastic explosive had been detonated in the airplane's forward cargo hold. Rotten claims that they missed the plane due to delays in his wifes packing.
23. On the album 'Live Rust' during the song 'Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)' Neil Young crowns Johnny Rotten 'The King'.
24. Lydon appeared on Judge Judy fighting a suit filed by his former tour drummer Robert Williams. Lydon won the case, and the judge called Williams a "nudnik"; although she did advise Lydon to keep quiet several times.
25. In 2006 The Pistols signed over the rights to their back catalogue to Universal Music Publishing Group. The did so knowing that Universal were going to exploit its commercial possibilities. Range Rover and British Airways are believed to be interested in using Sex Pistols songs in their ads. It gets worse. There are reportedly also plans for Sex Pistols action figures, a Sex Pistols musical and Sex Pistols ringtones. - (Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?)
To download January 14, 1978 The Pistol's final show recorded live at San Francisco’s Winterland.
The Sex Pistol's Live, Winterland San Francisco, 14/1/78
To view a number of clips and interviews.
Sex Pistols
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